Ellington's centennial, in 1999, saw so many reissues of his music that one might have thought the subject was closed. But this nine-CD set represents an accessible way for listeners unfamiliar with Ellington's music to become acquainted with it and an opportunity for connoisseurs to re-evaluate his often underappreciated work of the 1950s. Albums such as "Masterpieces by Ellington" contain the hits audiences around the world will recognize (such as ¿Mood Indigo¿ and "Solitude"), while "Such Sweet Thunder" attests to Ellington's ambitions to craft larger scores and to the profound contributions of his composing-arranging partner, Billy Strayhorn.

Ellington's centennial, in 1999, saw so many reissues of his music that one might have thought the subject was closed. But this nine-CD set represents an accessible way for listeners unfamiliar with Ellington's music to become acquainted with it and an opportunity for connoisseurs to re-evaluate his often underappreciated work of the 1950s. Albums such as "Masterpieces by Ellington" contain the hits audiences around the world will recognize (such as ¿Mood Indigo¿ and "Solitude"), while "Such Sweet Thunder" attests to Ellington's ambitions to craft larger scores and to the profound contributions of his composing-arranging partner, Billy Strayhorn.